What I Really Want
by Maleficent-darkgoodwitch2416
Summary: During the interview with the Empress, Dimitri reveals what he really wants and is rewarded instead of with money, but with Anastasia's hand. How will the Grand Duchess respond when she finds out?
1. What I Really Want

_What I Really Want_

_Dimitri's POV_

"You sent for me, Your Grace?" I asked.

"Here is the ten thousand rubles as promised. I always give you my gratitude for returning Anastasia," Dowager Empress Marie said.

I nodded and said, "I accept your gratitude, but I can't take your money."

"Dimitri, how did you get that music box?" she asked again.

I shrugged—I really didn't feel like saying it had been next to me when I'd woken up and I was curious as to why Anastasia had been so obsessed with it when she was going to go live with her grandmother in Paris.

She approached me and said, "You were the little boy in the palace, correct? You saved me and my granddaughter and then restored her to me, but want no reward. Why the change of mind?"

I frowned slightly and said, "It was more a change of heart."

She nodded and said, "What is it that you want, then?"

"Nothing you can give," I replied, my heart breaking—I wanted nothing more than to marry Anastasia, but I couldn't—for I was a kitchen boy and she was a princess.

"Dimitri, are you sure?" she asked.

I started to nod and she said, "Sit down."

I quickly obeyed.

"You love her," she stated.

I didn't respond, frozen—was she right? Did I love Anastasia? Or did I love Anya? Or did I love both sides of the princess—the Grand Duchess Anastasia and peasant girl Anya?

"Dimitri, tell me the truth. Do you love my granddaughter?" Marie ordered.

I thought hard and then it hit me. "I do love Anastasia, Your Grace." I said.

Then I said, "Your Grace, I think I loved Anastasia for years—since we were children. That's…that's why I sent the two of you out through the servants' quarters. I wanted her to escape so badly. I loved her then and I would sneak out of the kitchen to watch her play with her sisters and brother. The cook would yell at me but she was always quick to defend me. After the siege, Vlad took care of me, but I always wondered what had happened to her. When I met Anya, she irked me just Anastasia had, but I fell in love with her. When I realized she was really Anastasia, I knew I didn't want her to find her family, because I was afraid I'd lose her."

Then she asked, "But have you told her?"

I shook my head and said, "Princesses don't marry kitchen boys."

She laughed and said, "You're not a kitchen boy, Dimitri. In fact, I wish to reward you with my granddaughter's hand in marriage."

I stared at the Empress and slowly nodded and said, "I'm…going…to…marry…Anastasia Nikolaevna?"

The Empress nodded and said, "Dimitri, I want my granddaughter's happiness. She did look so happy when she first arrived in Paris, because you were with her. You are part of her happiness."

I nodded and asked, "How are we going to tell her that she's getting married?"

"Actually, you still have to propose to her," Marie reminded me.

I paused and nodded.

"Tonight," I decided. "I'll propose before the party."

"Alright," she smiled.

Before I left, she handed me some money and said, "Go buy the ring."

I nodded and replied, "Thank you, Your Grace."

I went downstairs and smiled at Anastasia. "How'd it go?" she asked coldly.

"You're still mad at me, Your Highness?" I demanded.

"A little," she replied.

"You kidnapped my grandmother!" she accused.

"To get her to talk to you," I replied. "Anastasia, I knew you were the real princess when you mentioned the boy who opened the wall, because that boy, that little boy, I…I was the boy."

She stared at me and said, "So that brings the number of times you've saved me up to three?"

I shrugged and said, "Who's keeping track?"

She smiled and said, "Dimitri, now that I've found my family, what are you going to do?"

I shrugged and mysteriously replied, "That's for me to know and for you to try to learn later."

She glared at me and said, "Dimitri, promise you'll come visit me or else I'll come hunt you down."

I laughed and said, "I'm looking forward to it, Your Highness."

I left and she whispered, "Goodbye, Dimitri."


	2. The Proposal

I returned to the palace with the engagement ring in my coat pocket. I smiled at Vlad and Pooka. "Wish me luck, Vlad," I said, calmly.

"Luck? Why, Dimitri, my boy?" Vlad asked.

"I have to talk to Anastasia—before the party," I said, calmer than before.

He nodded and said, "You better hurry."

I nodded and soon found Anastasia talking to her grandmother about me.

"He's not there," Marie said.

"I know," Anastasia replied. "Wait, who's not there, Grandmama?"

"A remarkable young man who risked his life to save us and reunite us," she replied.

Anastasia shrugged and said, "He's probably too busy spending his reward money as fast as he can."

Her grandmother shook her head and said, "He didn't take the money."

"Are you happy returning to the world of fancy dresses and jewels and palaces?" Marie asked.

Anastasia nodded and said, "Yes. I've found you."

"Yes, you did find me, and you will always have me, but will it be enough?" the older woman asked.

I fingered the box with the ring in it. Marie was trying to get Anastasia to realize who she loved—me.

Anastasia hesitated and her grandmother soon entered the party.

Then Anastasia asked, "Grandmama, what do you mean?" She soon saw that her grandmother had joined the party.

I walked over to her and said, "Your Highness, may I have a word with you?"

"Dimitri?" she asked, shocked. "You didn't leave Paris!"

I hugged her and said, "Anastasia, I have a question for you."

She nodded and, pulling the box with the ring out of my pocket, I opened it, and asked, "Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanov, will you marry me?"

She looked at me and said, "Yes, Dimitri, I will marry you."

I kissed her and, after we parted, she asked, "Dimitri, why didn't you take the money?"

"Because, I realized when I'd hurt you, how much it hurt me, and it hurt me because I love you, Anastasia," I replied.

"I love you, too, Dimitri," she replied, taking my hand.

I squeezed her hand and she suddenly asked, "How do we tell Grandmama that we're getting married?"

I smiled and said, "I might as tell you now—I wouldn't take the money. Then she asked me what I did want and I said she couldn't give what I wanted to me. Then she asked if I loved you and I realized I've loved since we first met—you were about four and I was six. So I told her I did and how long I'd loved you. Your grandmother only wants you to be happy, Anya."

"Anastasia," she corrected.

I rolled my eyes and said, "I will continue to call you Anya as my special nickname for you."

She nodded and said, "I hope she won't get mad at me."

I held out my hand and said, "Ready to tell all the nobility of your engagement, my princess?"

She nodded and we joined the celebration.

After we entered the room, I discretely nodded to Marie.

Marie calmly nodded and stepping forward, said, "My friends, thank you all for coming to help me welcome home my granddaughter, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanov. We will also celebrate her engagement to Dimitri—the bravest person to serve the Romanov family—a warrior disguised as a mere kitchen boy."

I smiled—that was new.

Anastasia leaned over to me and asked, "How does she already know that we're engaged?"

I looked at her and said, "I think she saw the ring on your finger."

Someone called, "But Your Majesty, you've wondered ten years about your granddaughter and now you get her back and you're letting her get married?"

Marie took a deep breath and said, "I trust Dimitri with Anastasia. He saved her and me the night of the siege and he's saved her countless other times. He is the only man I would feel safe entrusting the care of my granddaughter to, when I'm gone."

Anastasia nodded and then asked, "Dimitri, really, what happened when you were talking to Grandmama?"

"Well, what I told you earlier," I began. "Then she said that she wanted your happiness and that she thought you'd be happy if we—meaning you and me—were together and I realized that walking out of your life forever would only hurt you—and me—more than anything else. So I had to be part of your life somehow."

She hugged me and said, "I'll ask Grandmama later."

I nodded and took her hand, squeezing it firmly.


	3. Author's Note

_**A/N. Hey guys, listen up. I have a poll for deciding who gets sacrificed to Max's wrath and tells her that Angel's missing. So far, no one, besides me, has voted on it. So vote for who you want to sacrifice to Max's wrath or I won't update this story anymore and you'll never know Max's reaction, if Angel is found, and if the person is killed. It's on my profile and if no one else votes, the person I voted for to be the sacrifice will be the one sent. I want someone to say I think so-and-so should face Max. So go vote.  
**_


	4. Author's Note 2

**_A/N. Hey guys, thanks for all the votes so far. We're halfway done. Just 50 more votes and you'll learn who gets sacrificed to Max's wrath. So be sure to vote.  
_**


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